Guard-rail



A. M. CORNELL. A

GUARD RAIL.

APPLlCATION FILED APR. 23, 1918.

I Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

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GUARD RAIL.

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ARTHUR. M. CORNELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GUARD-RAIL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Application filed April 23, 1918. Serial No. 230,213.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ARTHUR M. CORNELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Guard-Rails, of which the following is a description.

My invention belongs to that general class of devices known as guard rails to be used in accordance with the general railway practice, opposite frog points and at such other places as desired adjacent the track rail for the purpose of guiding or deflecting the wheel flanges to avoid derailment. The invention has among its objects the production of a device of the kind described that is simple, convenient, durable, efficient and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable. More particularly it has as an object the production of a universal one piece guard rail which will transmit all strains back to the traflic rail, which may be adjusted and secured in place without the use of bolts, screws, cotters, or the like, and is applicable for use with diHerent sized traffic rails, no filled blocks being necessary to maintain the desired flange-way. It has particularly as a further object the production of a device which will have a maXimum of life, since it may be adjusted for wear, which may be applied to or removed from the track without in any way disturbing the running or traflic rail, regardless of whether the running rail is tie plated or not, it being applicable vto the track without the use of special tools. The device is so constructed as to eliminate all unnecessary material and reduce the weight and cost, and in addition the same will not pack with snow, thereby impairing the eiiiciency of the same in use or making it unsafe. Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosures herein given.

To this end, my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts,

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a track with guard rails applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the preferred form of the device applied to the tra-Hic rail;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a wedge engaging member;

Fig. 4; is a View in eievation of the rail;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5--5 of Fig. 2; and

F ig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the wedge members.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a trahie rail provided with the usual base 2 and connecting web 3, the same being supported on the ties Ll and secured in place by the spikes 5 or the equivalent. The rail may be tie plated or not as desired, it being immaterial as to how the traffic rail is secured to the ties or how the ties are constructed.

Referring particularly to Fig. the guard rail consists of a rail part G preferably fianged as at 7, constituting a rail of inverted L-shape connected to a base plate S by the ribs 9. The number of ribs and their distance apart, as well as the proportions of the various parts, obviously depends upon the particular use for which the guard rail is intended. The ends of the rail are preferably formed at an angle as at 10-10 (see Fig. 2) on the inner side. I also prefer to provide the base 8 with holes 11, through which spikes or the like may be driven into the ties. of holes or slots 11 are provided in the base plate so that alldesired ties may be secured to by two spikes if desired, without requiring moving the tie. As a matter of fact., the holes 11 and spikes are not essential to the invention, but the same serve as an additional factor of safety and prevent creeping of the guard rail. The plate 8 is provided with the desired number of extending parts 12, each of which passes under the rail, and is thence turned back toward the guard rail as at 13, the same being` strengthened by the iin or rib 1st. At the end of 13 is provided a part l5 having an inner face 16 at an angle, which face is formed with one or more lugs 17, or in an equivalent manner. Arranged to coperate with the face 16 and the lugs is a suit- A suflicient number ably formed part or member 18 having an inclined face 19, and provided with the desired number of recesses 2O of a size to receive the lugs 17, and with lugs engaging between the lugs 17. It will be'noted by referring to F ig. 2, in which the guard rail is shown with two parts extending 'under the rail, that the faces are inclined in opposite directions. The flange part 7 cai'- ries the foot guard part 21 adjacent each end, as most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

In securing the guard-rail iii place it is positioned substantially as shown in the drawings, with the member 18v adjusted as desired. rthe particular position or assembly of the member determines the distance Athe guard rail is from the tread 1 of the traffic rail. Ey spiking the guard rail to the ties the same is prevented from creeping or becoming displaced. .Howeveiy the foot guard parts 21 and the member 18 at each end will normally prevent transverse displacement of the rail, so that it will always be maintained in a safe position. lt will be readily understood that the device may be applied or removed without in any way displacing the trahie rail by applying or removing tlie members 18 and the spikes, provided the spikes are used.

The vconstruction is such that the guard i rail may be standardized and applied to various sections of rail, only the members 18 being specially made to fit, it occasionally being necessary to vary the size of the menibers 18 for different rails. T he strain of rolling stock engaging the guard rail passes from the guard rail through parts 12 and the members 18 to the traflic rail, and this is held in place by the weight of the rolling stock which produced the initial strain, as well as by the fastenings securing the saine to the ties. Not only do the ribs 9 reduce the material used, but in addition snow will not pack in the flange-way. It willv be noted that the guard rail takes the strain and transinittinoit through suitabl i designed members puts it back on the trailic rail, thus eliminating wear and breaking strain. The guard rail described is so designed as to be applicable to different heights of rails,

thus making it interchangeable and reducing the necessary repair material which must be carried by each section gang, as well as facilitating prompt repairs. As was before mentioned, the open web reduces weight and cost, and the design of the rail is such that it may be adjusted when worn, thus affording maximum life to the rail.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention, hence do not wish to be understood'as limiting myself to the exact form, con- What I claim as new and desire to securev by Letters .Patent is :e

1. A. track guard rail structure comprising the combination of a base plate provided with a plurality of upwardly extending and inclined posts between its ends,` and having regularly spaced holes therethrough between the posts, a rail portion carried at the upper ends of said posts with the side face of the rail portion extending beyond the edge of the base plate, the ends ofV said rail portion turned back over the base plate and provided with a foot guard at eacliend, said base plate provided with extending parts of suitable length'to kproject under the base portion of the track rail adjacent the top face ofthe said extending parts below the lower face of the base plate, whereby the same may underlie `the track rail, the free end of each extending part extending upwardly and thence back, and each provided with a suitably formed face, and a coperating'member for each extending part o'F a size to engage said face and the web and basle flange at the outer side of the track rai 2. In a guard device of the kind described for track rails and in combination, a guard structure comprising a base plate provided with a plurality ofregularly spaced holes therethrough, and having upwardly extendyond the inner edge of the base plate, said base plate provided with means for engaging the adjacent track rail at the outer face of the web thereofV on Vthe opposite side thereof comprising extending parts formed integrally with the plate on theunder side thereof, and of a length to extend under and beyond the track rail base flange, the free ends of said parts turned upwardly and back toward the outer face of the ytrack rail web but spaced therefrom, a suitably shaped part for eachupturned end, eachI formed to engage the face on said ends and the web of the track rail between the headand base flange thereof, said part adjustable relative to said extending part, wherebyV the distance between the rail portion and theV track rail may be varied as desired.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my namein the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR MJ CORNELL.A

Witnesses: ROBERT G. BANISTER, BEN ALEXANDER. 

